Advertisers use the framing effect to present information in a manner that influences how viewers interpret that information. Business owners and marketers often employ framing techniques, such as casting a potentially negative fact about their product into a positive light or by showing the negative effects of a competitor's positive qualities. These professionals frame the aspects of an ad and adjust the meaning of its message with tools such as colorful images, strident music and precise language.

Loss Framing

One aspect of framing in advertising occurs when the advertiser displays what the customer stands to lose if he or she fails to comply with the message. An effective demonstration of "loss framing" instills fear into the recipient and warns of dire consequences. A major example of loss framing occurs in public service announcements. An anti-smoking campaign shows the dangers of cigarettes by displaying images of cancer patients who rely on respirators to breathe and artificial voice-boxes to speak.

Gain Framing

The other side of the coin from loss framing is "gain framing". A message with gain framing shows the recipient what they have to gain from following the advertiser's message. Dental care product advertisers use gain framing messages to display the benefits of routine dental care: sparkling white teeth, healthy gums and fresh breath. The messages also often imply other benefits, such as how a better-looking smile makes the user more attractive to potential dating partners.

Statistical Framing

Benjamin Disraeli, the British Prime Minister during most of the Nineteenth Centruy, was quoted as saying, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." Various advertisers often use the same statistics to prove and disprove the same point simultaneously. For instance, one advertiser can promote a pharmaceutical product as having an 90 percent success rate. A competitor can use the same statistic to (correctly) claim that the drug fails to work in 1 out of 10 cases.

Framing and Language

Advertisers are specialists at using language to frame their messages. They understand the emotional reactions that consumers have to specific words.Their goal is to use words that create a positive emotional frame for the product in the viewer's mind. An ad for a high-end automobile uses words like "luxurious" and "well-appointed", while avoiding words such as "expensive" and "over-priced". A similar ad for a lower-priced car would use words like "affordable" and "dependable" instead of "cheap" and "sturdy."

About the Author

Living in Houston, Gerald Hanks has been a writer since 2008. He has contributed to several special-interest national publications. Before starting his writing career, Gerald was a web programmer and database developer for 12 years. He also started Story Into Screenplay, a screenwriting blog at www.StoryIntoScreenplay.com.